By AIDMI, India

Ahmedabad stands as India’s pioneer city in responding to the growing threat of extreme heat. Since the devastating 2010 heatwave that claimed more than a thousand lives, the city has made sustained efforts to turn lessons into action. Its Heat Action Plan (HAP)—the first of its kind in South Asia—has become a global model, reducing heat-related mortality and demonstrating how early warnings, health preparedness, and public awareness can save lives.

Key measures include temperature-based alert systems, training for healthcare and municipal workers, and multilingual communication campaigns that target vulnerable groups, such as older adults, construction workers, and street vendors. Schools, community halls, and temples have been identified as temporary cooling shelters. The Cool Roofs Initiative, reflective paints on low-income homes, and misting systems at bus stops are practical, low-cost interventions that bring measurable relief. Ahmedabad’s Climate Resilient City Action Plan (CRCAP) now incorporates these measures into long-term strategies that involve green corridors, nature-based cooling, and enhanced urban design.

The All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) has been a key partner in shaping, documenting, and advancing Ahmedabad’s leadership on extreme heat resilience. Working closely with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, AIDMI has supported awareness campaigns, field-level pilots, and microinsurance design to protect small businesses and informal workers from heat-related loss and damage. AIDMI’s research and field engagement have helped demonstrate that climate resilience must be both community-led and evidence-driven.

Yet, challenges remain—rapid urban growth, maintenance gaps, and unequal access to cooling infrastructure persist in informal settlements. To deepen resilience, Ahmedabad must invest in neighbourhood-level heat mapping, community-driven cooling solutions, and sustained funding for maintenance. Financing innovations—such as parametric heat insurance and public–private partnerships for cooling infrastructure—can complement municipal resources.

As India faces more frequent and severe heat events, Ahmedabad’s experience—supported by AIDMI and its partners—offers both inspiration and direction. It demonstrates that proactive local action, grounded in collaboration and community leadership, can transform a silent and invisible disaster into an opportunity for adaptation, equity, and resilience.